More than one and a half million Britons left for Australia between 1940 and 1970. Many thousands of people also came from other countries during those years, from all regions of Europe.

The Asturias made over 20 voyages to Australia - with up to 1,600 passengers per journey. However these were small numbers overall compared to some other vessels. The 'Castel Felice', for instance made 101 voyages between 1952 and 1970, carrying over 100,000 immigrants to Australia and New Zealand.

Extract from "Australian Migrant Ships" by Peter Plowman

This website is dedicated to the SS Asturias and has no passenger lists for other ships. If you live in Australia and are seeking a passenger list for another vessel you may be able to obtain it by visiting the National Archives in your State or Territory (details below).

"Assisted migrants from Britain continued to be transported in old Ministry of Transport vessels until 1957, after which they were carried in the tourist class accommodation of British liners on a regular service to Australia. From 1955 to 1970, the vessels of the Sitmar Line also carried thousands of British migrants to Australia, but then the contract was transferred to the Greek owned Chandris Line.

By the mid-70s the majority of British migrants were being transported by aircraft, and only Australis was carrying migrants. On 19 December 1977, Australis arrived in Sydney carrying 650 assisted migrants, this being the last migrant voyage to Australia from Britain and Europe."

Find the nearest NAA office in Australia, including opening times of the reading rooms in this Fact Sheet (click on .pdf icon) :

The 'Links' section of this website also lists other organisations that can help.

Addresses of other national archives including Asia and the Pacific, UK and Ireland, Europe, the Americas and Africa can be found here:

The 'Links' section of this website lists sites about other ships that may be of interest to passengers.